The Egyptian winger’s finish against Bournemouth saw him become the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to eclipse the mark this season
Mohamed Salah is showing no signs of slowing down, beating Lionel Messi to the 30-goal mark in 2017-18 and breaking a Cristiano Ronaldo record in the process.
The Liverpool winger was at it again on Saturday against Bournemouth, as he found the back of the net as the Reds defeated Bournemouth 3-0 at Anfield.
The finish was exquisite, as Salah took an excellent Trent Alexander-Arnold cross and headed over the outstretched hand of Asmir Begovic to make it 2-0 to Liverpool.
Scores from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were the other tallies in the victory.
It was Salah’s 30th goal of the Premier League season, as he extended his lead on Harry Kane in the Premier League Golden Boot race to five goals.
The Egypt international also became the first player in the five major European leagues to score 30 goals in the league this season. Lionel Messi, who sits on 29 goals, missed his opportunity to do so earlier in Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Valencia.
The 30-goal mark is also historic, as Salah became the first African player to reach that number in the Premier League. Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba had recorded the previous high with 29 efforts.
Salah now sits just one back of a trifecta of players who jointly share the Premier League 38-game season record at 31 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo, Alan Shearer and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez all sit on that mark.
He has also now taken the record for most Premier League games with a goal in a single season with 22, a record he had shared with Ronaldo and Robin van Persie.
In all competitions, Salah is up to 40 goals. That makes him only the third Liverpool player to accomplish the feat, after Ian Rush, who did it twice, and Roger Hunt.
Salah’s assault on Rush’s all-time Liverpool single-season record continues as well. He is now seven behind Rush’s 47 scored in the 1983-84 season. Salah has at least six games remaining, with four Premier League contests and the two-legged Champions League semi-final, to match or surpass Rush’s total.
And should Liverpool manage to get by Salah’s former club Roma in the semi-final, Salah would also get the Champions League final in Kiev to continue his assault on the Liverpool record books.
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